Vane type mist extractors have been used extensively for more than fifty years for the high efficiency separation of entrained liquids from flowing gas or vapor streams. The vane type mist extractor includes a vane bundle made up of a plurality of vanes which generally extend vertically and perpendicular to the vapor flow path. Liquid particles in the vapor flow impinge on the tortuous path of the vane surfaces as the vapor flows through the vane bundle. The liquid particles collect on the vane surfaces and drain downwardly by gravity to a collection chamber or drain below the vanes. The separated liquid is drained from the collection chamber for disposal, recycling or the like.
Traditionally, the vane type mist extractor has included baffles about the vane bundle to confine the vapor flow through the bundle. At the bottom of the extractor, vertically extending plates are typically mounted flush against the front and back of the vanes and extend upward about three inches from the bottom of the vanes. The plates are interconnected by a bottom plate to define a hollow interior collection chamber below the vanes.
While the conventional mist extractor has proven satisfactory in many applications, there is an ongoing need to increase the efficiency of operation of a mist extractor to satisfy high performance goals and increase efficiency.